


Vignettes

by carolinablu85



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: AU, Angst, Breakfast in Bed, Domestic, Facebook, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Future Fic, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of Stuff, M/M, Sex, Shower Sex, Sleepy Sex, Vignette, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-21
Updated: 2012-07-21
Packaged: 2017-11-10 09:33:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/464800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolinablu85/pseuds/carolinablu85
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of random vignettes based off random prompts!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. That Dream Again

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts from the luke_noah LJ comm's "First Sentence Challenge" and "Anon Prompt Meme"... led to these! Thanks for reading!

“I just want you to know that I still love you, that being with him doesn’t mean I’ve lost hope of you waking up,” Noah said quietly as he pulled Luke’s hand into his lap, playing with his fingers, wondering for the hundredth time if Luke could  _feel_  it.   
  
He watched the rise and fall of Luke’s chest, slow and steady. The least reassuring thing ever in the world, because it wasn’t real. He turned his gaze back to their hands, because if he looked at that- just that- he could pretend none of this was real. All of this had never happened.   
  
“I’m never going to stop,” he kept talking. “Ever.” He swallowed heavily, trying to keep his throat from closing up. Maybe if he talked enough, too much, then Luke would wake up just to yell at him to keep quiet. “I... I had a dream last night. That one in the kitchen again, remember I told you about that one?”   
  
He actually paused, actually waited for Luke to answer. All this time, he still expected Luke to talk, to interrupt. When he didn’t, the breath shuddered out of Noah in waves. How was it he always forgot?   
  
“S-same dream. You still leave the napkins on the stove and light them on fire. And get mad at me for always having the smoke detector batteries checked, because of course it goes off and you can’t stand the noise and...” he stopped again. Opened his mouth to keep talking, but couldn’t.   
  
Sound and lack of sound enveloped him equally, the rustle and beep of monitors and machines, a slight whistle of wind at the window. But not Luke’s voice. Not what he needed to hear.   
  
“He’s nice,” Noah forced out. He had to let Luke know. Had to. “He’s always trying to make me laugh. And he cooks and brings food over to my place to make sure I eat. Like your grandma does, so you know,” he shrugged. “I’m okay, I guess.” He closed his eyes, adding hastily, “But I miss you. All the time.”   
  
“Noah.”   
  
He didn’t turn, just shut his eyes tighter. “Yeah?” his voice didn’t crack, and he was kind of proud.   
  
He heard Holden step fully into the room, take the seat across from him. On the other side of Luke. “What are you doing here, kiddo?”   
  
“I wanted to see Luke,” he said simply, not opening his eyes.   
  
“It’s past visiting hours,” Holden pointed out.   
  
“So?” Visiting hours hadn’t applied to Noah in a long while. Ali and Dr. Bob had made sure of that.   
  
“So,” Holden echoed, “I thought you had a date tonight?”   
  
Casey must’ve told him.  _Damn it, Hughes._  Noah tried to keep that part of his life as far away from the Snyders as possible. “I did. I went.”   
  
“And then came here,” Holden said carefully, in his best genial-farmer voice.   
  
He nodded, forcing himself to look at Luke instead of Holden. Watching his face, unable to stop himself from hoping that some small part of it would twitch, blink, anything. Anything that would right his tossing-around-in-a-rip-current world again.   
  
It wasn’t fair that he still looked so beautiful. Untouchable.   
  
Holden cleared his throat, opened his mouth, was about to say what Noah was sure was a practiced speech about moving on and not feeling guilt and always being a part of the family and all that... but then he stopped. Just nodded, offered a small smile, and stood up. “Don’t stay too late. Get some sleep, okay?”   
  
Noah nodded as Holden squeezed his shoulder in farewell on the way out. Not turning away, he readjusted Luke’s hand in his grip, curling their fingers together. Rubbing them, trying to keep in the warmth that kept slipping away.   
  
Maybe someday he’d listen to Holden and Casey and all of them, and he’d be able to get through the day without feeling like he was doing this wrong. Maybe someday he’d stop having that stupid smoke detector dream.   
  
But tonight? Tonight he was spending the night right here, because there was always the chance that Luke knew what was going on.   
  
And he needed Luke to know that he was here, and that he loved him. Even past visiting hours.


	2. My Hero

Noah was absolutely, positively  _not_  afraid of mice. In fact, there were some he was quite partial to. Mickey, for instance. Jerry. Ben. He’d had a pretty big love for Fievel as a kid.   
  
This, this was not a mouse. It was a mutant spawn of the devil, he was sure of it. The way the thing glared at him like it knew what he was thinking, the way its face twitched, whiskers moving just enough to catch the flare of his flashlight, that squeak that promised retribution if it had the chance... Pure. Evil.   
  
And yet here he was armed with an oven mitt and a prayer, hoping the thing didn't have rabies or Mouse Flu or whatever, trying to corner it in the kitchen under the stove. If he could just get a shot at it, he'd be able to trap it under the cooking pot-   
  
"What are you doing?"   
  
Noah whirled around, oven-mitted hand raised in defense, half expecting Mouse Spawn's even more mutanty brother to be standing behind him. But no. It was just Luke.   
  
Just Luke, grinning wildly at him, one hand on his hip. "Baby, have you been inhaling those film development chemicals again?”   
  
Noah sputtered, trying to explain, but another squeak- now behind him- almost made him jump. “Mouse,” he finally said feebly, pointing down to the stove.   
  
Luke managed to grin wilder and roll his eyes at the same time. “For crying out loud, it’s like six feet shorter than you.” All in one fluid movement, Luke stepped forward, took Noah’s oven mitt, and scooped up the Mouse Spawn, carrying it the back door and out to their yard. Noah made sure to step far to the side in case the thing managed to overpower Luke and come after him.   
  
He was turned back to the kitchen, mentally calculating how much disinfectant he was going to have to use before he could ever eat in this room again, when he felt something light skitter and dance across the back of his neck. “Jesus!” he jumped, whirling around.   
  
Luke pulled his hand back, still grinning. “Aww, my big strong boyfriend can face down bullies, psycho fake twins, and Lucinda Walsh, but can’t handle a little ol’ mouse?” He put his hands on Noah’s hips, keeping him in place.   
  
“Little?” Noah repeated, his voice skeptical even as his face flushed. “That wasn’t a little mouse. That was some mad scientist’s experiment gone wrong.” He tried to cross his arms over his chest defiantly, he meant to, but somehow they found their way around Luke’s waist instead.   
  
Luke laughed again, but sweeter and happier. “Well, it’s gone now. Your hero took care of it.”   
  
It was Noah’s turn to roll his eyes, though he was smiling too. “Thank you,” he said mockingly.   
  
Luke rocked upwards on his toes, kissing Noah quickly. “Why didn’t you just set traps for it?”   
  
Noah shook his head. “I don’t want to  _kill_  it, Luke. That’s horrible.”   
  
He flushed even more when Luke’s grin softened. “Love you,” he murmured, sliding his hands from Noah’s hips to his back, pulling him even closer into a hug. Noah hugged him back, resting his chin on Luke’s shoulder. Luke stilled after a few seconds. “You’re still freaked out, aren’t you?”   
  
“I really want to take a shower,” he immediately said in a rush, unable to stop himself.   
  
Another laugh, another kiss just below his ear, and Luke released him. “Go ahead.”   
  
Noah let go slightly more reluctantly, taking a step or two towards the bathroom. Then he stopped and turned back to Luke. “You coming with me?” his voice was not at all hopeful. Not at all.   
  
Luke’s grin slid into a smirk, his eyes lighting up. Happy and not afraid of anything. Noah’s hero. “Always.”


	3. Sold

"The fastest way we could earn money," Luke smiled, pulling on the hem of Noah's shirt, "is to bid you off, here and now."   
  
"What?" Noah stepped away from him abruptly. "Wh-what? Me?"   
  
"Yes!" Luke got behind his friend and pushed towards the little makeshift stage. "Come on Noah, it's for a good cause. I'm sure there are plenty of people in the crowd who'd love a date with you."   
  
"Luke!" he hissed, face flushing brightly. "No way. I don't- I'm not a 'in front of people' person. You know this. Get someone else to do it."   
  
"You'll be fine," he assured, signaling to Casey, who grinned from up onstage. "All you have to do is stand there, look pretty, maybe take off your shirt. That's it."   
  
"That's it?!" Noah repeated, trying to literally dig his heels in. "You know, you're technically my employer. That technically makes this sexual harassment."   
  
"I technically don't care," Luke fired back. "Come on Mayer, it's for charity. You don't really want to see the poor benefactors of the Luke Snyder Foundation miss out just because of your modesty, do you? Those poor sick kids, no-"   
  
"Fine, shut up," Noah grumbled. "I hate you."   
  
"I hate you too," Luke smiled, completing the exchange they always had whenever Luke convinced Noah to do something he didn't want to do. Which was pretty much every day since they had met eight months ago, when Noah showed up at the Foundation office begging for a job. Luke dragged his friend up to the stage steps.   
  
"Okay people," Casey, the night's honorary emcee, got the crowd's attention. "Looks like the saying 'save the best for last' holds true tonight. For our final contestant in the second annual Date Night Auction, we have the Foundation's Media Manager himself, Noah 'Even Straight Guys Think He's Hot' Mayer!"   
  
Luke gave a push, and Noah stumbled a little as he joined Casey at the podium, face going as red as the polo shirt he was wearing.  _For now,_  Luke smirked as he moved around the stage to join Maddie in the audience.   
  
"How did you convince him?" she giggled.   
  
He shrugged. "I have my ways."   
  
She snorted. "Oh please. I forgot it's you. Noah would do anything you ask him to."   
  
Luke shook his head. "Just. Friends." He and Maddie had their own repeated exchange, anytime Maddie suggested he hook up with Noah. No matter how many times he explained that neither of them were 'hook up' people. And even if they were, Noah was Luke's friend, nothing more. He didn't see Noah like that. They were-   
  
"Oh holy  _crap,_ " Maddie let out a squeak.   
  
Luke felt like echoing it with his own. Casey had finally managed to get Noah to take his shirt off. And wow. Who knew that was hiding under all that plaid?   
  
He felt his eyes travel up low-slung jeans, the top strip of Calvin Kleins peeking out over cut hip bones (Luke was gawking now, but once he was back in control he was  _so_  going to tease Noah about silver boxer briefs), up to abs and chest muscles wonderfully defined, up to Noah's face still red with embarrassment. Which made just made his blue eyes stand out bluer.   
  
Casey must have seen the blush too, and he held up a hand to quiet the teasing cat calls and whistles from their friends in the crowd. "All right, let's put our poor Noah out of his misery," he flung an arm around Noah's shoulders and noisily kissed his cheek, getting Noah to roll his eyes and relax a little. "Starting bid is twenty bucks. Any takers?"   
  
The bidding started up, and Luke concentrated on the totals, happily adding it to what the foundation would donate to Memorial next month. With any luck, the hospital could buy that new-   
  
"One hundred," a new voice called out.   
  
Luke turned. Oh  _hell_  no. Tony? Tony, who looked at every gay guy his next conquest, who was currently eyeing Noah like he was a hundred dollar prime rib special? Hell no.   
  
"One twenty," another voice rang out.   
  
Luke turned again, almost relieved until he saw who it was- some ridiculously hot guy with perfect hair and perfect shoes and white teeth and manicured nails and- no.   
  
"One thirty," Tony came back with.   
  
Luke glared at them both. Did they really think they'd get anywhere with Noah by bidding on him? Noah wouldn't go for that.   
  
Would he?   
  
Luke's eyes narrowed at that thought. And the thoughts that followed- Perfect Guy leading Noah off the stage, them going to a nice dinner, laughing over movies and their shared love of cooking. Back at Perfect Guy's place, taking off more than that red polo-   
  
He had his wallet out before he really even knew what he was doing. Then he shoved all the cash he had into Maddie's hands. "Bid."   
  
"What?" she blinked.   
  
" _Bid,_ " he insisted, glaring again as Tony and Perfect Guy continued to one up each other, Noah on stage looking more and more adorably confused. And yeah, he'd always thought Noah was cute, but... Another flash of Tony kissing Noah, of Noah kissing back, and yeah he'd always wondered if Noah was a good kisser, but... He shook his head. "Bid."   
  
Maddie grinned. "Oh my God, I so called it," she preened for less than a second before quickly counting the money. "Four hundred and twenty-nine dollars!" she yelled.   
  
"Sold!" Cay slammed down his plastic gavel, forgoing the usual going-once bit. Luke had never loved him more than in that moment.   
  
Both he and Maddie went backstage, meeting up with Noah as he stepped down, pulling his shirt back on quickly. "Maddie, thank you  _so_  much," he burst out, hugging her tightly. "I could seriously kiss you right now."   
  
She laughed, pulling away from the hug. "Don't thank me, Mayer. It was Luke's money." She smirked, "You should kiss him."   
  
Noah went red again, and so did Luke. "It was your... Why?" he asked. Neither of them noticed Maddie stepping away.   
  
Luke shrugged. "I don't know. Those guys are... And you looked... And I..." he took a deep breath. "I wanted to."   
  
He watched with some surprise as Noah's eyes lit up, the smile on his face turning sweet and, and hopeful? "Really?"   
  
"Yeah,"Luke answered, much more sure of himself this time. "I mean, if that's okay-"   
  
"It is," Noah said immediately, almost interrupting him. "It's very very okay."   
  
Now Luke was really smiling too. "Good." Then he shook himself, clapping his hands together. "So what do you want to do for our date?"   
  
He felt something in him warm at the way Noah's eyes lit up again. "i don't know. It's your money, isn't it?"   
  
Luke grinned, tilted his head to the side, and looked Noah up and down. "Is that your way of saying I'm in charge? That's pretty dangerous, Noah. I might demand you take your shirt off again."   
  
Noah rolled his eyes, but somehow his smile stayed in place. "I hate you."   
  
Luke reached out, and their hands connected together like magnets, like they could feel the pull and couldn't fight it. "I hate you too."


	4. Wondering

It wasn't stalking. No way. They'd been Facebook friends before they'd been  _boyfriends_ , for God's sake. So there was nothing wrong with clicking on Noah's profile, avoiding that line of "Lives in Los Angeles, California" (Noah had left the "From" line blank). And it was Noah, the guy who maybe checked his email once a week if you were lucky. So sometimes, Luke convinced himself, the best way to see how he was really doing was to log on Facebook. It wasn't stalking.   
  
Okay, so maybe he  _wondered_ . But wondering wasn't the same as stalking. Maybe he wondered why Noah would add like 8 friends in one morning (a party the night before? a class study group? a film crew? an orgy?) or wondered at the random phrases these new friends would write on his wall (inside jokes? secret code words? an orgy?). But that didn't mean he was stalking.   
  
See, the thing was, Luke still cared about Noah. A lot. Enough that he had to make sure these new people were... good enough for him. That Noah was taking care of himself in LA. That he was happy. All of the things that Noah insisted on knowing about Luke whenever they talked on the phone.   
  
So maybe it was more than wondering.   
  
But he was doing it for Noah, right? Just one harmless click of his mouse, and he could investigate (no, that was too strong of a term) these friends. See their pictures, make sure they liked good books ( _Really? The Catcher in the Rye is your favorite book? How cliche are you?_ ), and feel better about Noah being on his own so far away from him.   
  
One day of profile research turned into 2, then a week, and then, somehow, it was October. And Luke was uncomfortably familiar with Noah's group of friends, their likes and dislikes, where they hung out on the weekends, who was dating who. Anna was allergic to shellfish. Everett worked in the Mayor's office. Jason and Ben (and Noah) were gay. Jason and Ben (and Noah) were  _single_  and gay.   
  
Luke was not pleased.   
  
And it all came to a head in the middle of October. Just a week or so before Noah's birthday, the LA Friends (as Luke called them in his head) took a trip up to northern California for the weekend. Six of them, road-tripping up to a vineyard or some such. A strange, dull ache lodged in Luke's chest in the days leading up to the weekend. Which was silly, it's not like these people were taking Noah away forever. It's not like Noah wasn't allowed to have friends, have fun.   
  
It just hurt that Luke wasn't there with him.   
  
The ache started out a pebble, but it was elephant-size by Saturday night. Luke's hands itched. He couldn't stop clacking his teeth together, a tick that finally had Lily sending him outside to take a walk and get out of her house. Unfortunately, the fresh air did nothing to bring him to his senses, and his cell was out of his pocket and dialing before he could stop himself.   
  
Noah, as always, picked up on the third ring. "Luke?"   
  
"Hey," he answered, not lame at all.   
  
"How are you?" Noah asked, almost immediately. And not in that polite, small talk way. In a real, caring, ineedtoknow way.   
  
"I'm good," he answered, and was surprised at how much that was true. He was good. Better. Maybe kinda almost there. "What are you up to?" So smooth, Snyder.   
  
"I'm on a trip with some, um, friends," he could hear Noah's smile over the phone. "One of my friends is celebrating his third month of being single." He could also hear the embarrassment.   
  
_Is it Drew?_  he wanted to ask.  _That sounds like something Drew would celebrate._  Shut up, Snyder. You don't know that. "Sounds fun."   
  
"Yeah," Noah breathed out the word, and if he were in front of Luke right now, Luke would be he'd be shuffling his feet, telling himself not to reach out and touch Luke. Because he was telling himself the same. "So, are you-"   
  
"I was thinking about coming for a visit next week," Luke blurted out. "Are you free?"   
  
There was a moment of silence, where Luke could hear Noah's brain come to halt. His own definitely had. "N-next week?" Noah stuttered. "Here?"   
  
"Yeah," he spoke softer now, hesitant. This was so stupid of him. How could he expect Noah to just drop his life and friends and vineyard trips just to-   
  
"Of course I'm free," Noah's voice was gentle, just as hesitant but way surer at the same time. "You, you're always welcome here, Luke. I'm..." a deep breath, "I'm always here for you. You know?"   
  
"I do," he said nodding to the air, to Noah with his friends in California, to that Facebook profile that didn't list where he was from. You're from here.   
  
Another week of itchy hands, clacking teeth, and multiple clicks on Noah's profile to see new tagged pictures, new inside jokes, new friends... and Luke was on a plane. (He even said so in a status. "Luke Snyder is on a plane to California." It got nearly a dozen likes within a few minutes.)   
  
And of course the reunion didn't go smoothly. There was awkwardness. There were fears and resentment and so many memories. But there was way too much love, too. And those memories kept them together. Made a foundation they could build on. And so they did.   
  
It was months later now, the two of them lying together in a perfectly unmade bed. Noah traced a finger up and down Luke's arm, hooking a leg over both of Luke's. "We're supposed to go to Ben's tonight," he murmured fuzzily. "He and Nick got engaged."   
  
"Huh," Luke snorted, letting his own hand slide down Noah's side, lower and lower. "Can't believe Nick puts up with him."   
  
"He's a good guy," Noah insisted.   
  
"Yeah, this is the same guy you had bail out of jail for streaking down the Santa Monica Pier, isn't it?" Luke shook his head a little, grasping Noah's leg at the back of his knee, pulling it up his own body higher. Just because he could.   
  
"That was..." Noah frowned. "How did you know about that?"   
  
He froze for half a second. Think fast, Snyder. "Someone must have mentioned it at some party or other, I guess." And then, as an even better answer, he moved back up Noah's leg, teasing at his inner thigh. "How much time do we have?"   
  
-27 minutes ago. Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer are in a relationship.-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt: _Luke facebook-stalks Noah after he leaves for L.A._


	5. Under the Covers

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit-" Luke stumbled and nearly hopped down the hall, into the bedroom, and across the floor. "Oh shit, oh shit-" He took a running leap into the bed, landing on his knees.   
  
"Why are you oh-shitting?" the man already in bed mumbled, only the very tip top of his head visible from beneath the comforter.   
  
"Cold floor, cold floor, cold floor," he kept up his cadence, holding his prize in one arm and trying to find the end of the comforter with the other.   
  
"Hmm?" the dark hair didn't move. Until Luke finally got his feet shoved under the blankets and against the bare skin next to him.   
  
"Shit!" Noah sat up in a flash, glaring and shivering. "Why. Why would you do that?"   
  
Luke grinned, unrepentant. "You're warm."   
  
"Not anymore," he grumbled, sitting up fully, leaning back against the headboard. He twisted halfway, reaching for the zip-up hoodie he kept by the bed.   
  
"I can make it up to you," Luke sing-songed, still grinning. He held up his prize. "Look what Casey left here last night."   
  
Noah eyed the box, already on his way to melting but trying to hold strong. "Doughnuts?"   
  
"Not just  _any_  doughnuts, baby," He waved the box teasingly under Noah's nose. "Krispy-Kremes. Chocolate frosted. Your favorite..." he drew out the last word with an extra syllable or two. He almost laughed out loud when Noah licked his lips, following the doughnuts' path.   
  
"Okay, fine," Noah sighed, pulling back the comforter and spreading his legs, somehow knowing exactly where Luke wanted to sit.   
  
"You're my favorite boyfriend, Noah Mayer," he crawled farther into the bed, sitting in the vee of Noah's long legs, back against his chest.   
  
"Verdict's still out on you," Noah fired back, trying to keep up his pout.   
  
Luke shrugged happily; Noah was always grumpy when he first woke up. It was fun having that role reversed every once in awhile. He slapped lightly at Noah's hand when he tried to reach for a doughnut. "Not so fast." Shaking Noah's wrist pointedly, he ordered. "Sleeves."   
  
"Luke," Noah protested only a little, knowing what was coming.   
  
Luke took a Krispy-Kreme out of the box, licked off a little of the frosting. "Sleeves, Mayer."   
  
He let the grin show, triumphant, when he felt and heard Noah unzip his sweatshirt and pull his arms out of the sleeves, holding them out for Luke. "Here."   
  
"Thank you, baby," Luke slid his arms in the sleeves so they were sharing it, Noah trapped against his back. Noah wrapped his arms around Luke's middle, clasping right at the top of his pajama pants, playing with the drawstring.   
  
As a reward, Luke broke off a piece of Krispy-Kreme, made sure there was a good amount of frosting on it, and held it up over his shoulder, grinning impossibly wider when he felt Noah's lips surround his fingers, taking the doughnut, licking him clean.   
  
They sat there, sharing the doughnuts, sharing the sweatshirt, the comforter, the bed. By the end of the second Krispy-Kreme, Noah's chin was resting down on Luke's shoulder, nose nuzzling into his neck. He smelled like chocolate, sugar, and Noah.   
  
Luke decided right then and there- in half of a red sweatshirt, tangled blankets, chocolate smeared on his cheek- that if he could have breakfast like this for the rest of his life, maybe cold floors weren't such a bad thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt: _Luke/Noah, breakfast in bed_


	6. Keep It Rolling

The first time he'd been asked to do this, it had been terrifying. He stuttered over the  _no_  and was jumpy and awkward at work for weeks. The second, third, fourth times... he figured Jeff had to be joking at this point. It was all a joke.   
  
Losing his dad and subsequently his source of tuition for school, was not a joke. Suddenly he was counting every penny, sneaking leftover Java pastries back to the dorm. Suddenly Jeff's offer wasn't the worst option in the world.   
  
And now, he still wasn't sure which was more surprising- that he was good at this, or that he actually sort of  _enjoyed_  it. It was like being a different person- someone confident, carefree, and desirable. In control. One time turned into two, four, once a week.   
  
So maybe this wasn't much, but it was enough for him to get by.   
  
***   
  
"Quit looking like such a farmboy, Snyder!" Tony hissed as they descended the stairs.   
  
"Excuse me for being freaked out that the friendly neighborhood coffeehouse has a friggin'  _sex den_  in the basement!" Luke hissed right back.   
  
"It's not a 'sex den', Luke," Tony delighted in using air quotes, probably because he knew Luke hated them. "It's just an... after hours business operation. For adults."   
  
Luke glared in the faded and fading light. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."   
  
"Yeah, I had to try  _so hard_ ," Tony rolled his eyes. "Come on, man. We always do something crazy and stupid for Reg's birthday. He'd appreciate it."   
  
And that shut up him, because it was true. They always did something crazy on what would've been Reg's birthday, in his memory. But a god damn sex den in the basement of Java was beyond crazy.   
  
"It's not an orgy," Tony kept talking. "They film videos and stuff for the internet, you know, the usual. But for an extra fee, you can come in and watch. And," he winked. "For an extra extra fee, you can participate."   
  
Luke stared. "Did you pay the extra extra fee?" Tony grinned and stepped through the door in front of them. "Tony! Did you pay the extra extra fee? I swear to God, man, I-"   
  
He shut up. The room was dark, but not 'dark and seedy' like he'd imagined. Lamps were lit in corners, the walls were covered in dark burgundy drapes, and, besides the film equipment, the only other items in the room were leather chairs and lounges. It looked like something out of a 1920s scene.   
  
And then there were the people in the room. Half a dozen, maybe. A couple guys (Luke recognized one as Jeff, Java's manager upstairs) behind the camera, a couple more in front. Including...   
  
"Tony," he grabbed his friend's arm discreetly. "Is that-?"   
  
"Blue-Eyed Barista?" Tony nodded. "Hell yeah. Jeff told me he was working tonight, so I thought maybe you and he could finally, you know,  _meet_ ."   
  
Luke tried not to stare. Blue-Eyed Barista had been working at Java for almost a year now, and Luke knew nothing about him but his name. Noah. The guy was friendly enough, had the sweetest smile ever, but was almost impossible to pin down. Luke never really saw him around town or on campus much, besides classes and Java.   
  
Yet he was here. Noah. Doing... this. But he was a film student, right? Luke remembered seeing a film text book on the counter at Java once or twice. So maybe he was a part of the crew. Maybe this wouldn't be the most awkward thing in the world.   
  
"Tony, hey," Jeff approached, clapping Tony on the back. "You guys ready to get started?"   
  
"Absolutely, Luke is," Tony pushed him forward, grinning like some cartoon villain.   
  
As Luke worked up his best glare, Jeff turned back to the rest of the group. "Okay, guys, ready? Noah, come meet your co-star for the night."   
  
And Luke lost his glare, his ability to comprehend simple thoughts, and possibly some motor functions.   
  
Noah stepped forward with an amiable smile, holding his hand out to Luke. "Hi. I'm Noah." His body moved like it had its own choreography, the pull of muscles under his shirt twisting the fabric. Jesus.   
  
Luke cleared his throat. "Luke." He was hopefully smiling too. Shaking Noah's hand, his palm sliding against the rough, callused skin, nearly had him shuddering. Oh, this was going to kill him.   
  
"Are you nervous?" Noah lowered his voice as Jeff and Tony stepped away, chatting with the rest of the crew.   
  
Luke considered bluffing. "A little," he finally admitted. "Never done this before."   
  
"I have," Noah said simply. He smiled again, "I'll take care of you, don't worry."   
  
Considering the circumstances, Luke shouldn't have felt all fluttery from that. They were about to have sex on camera, in front of people. But the way Noah said it, all sincerity and understanding, made him feel better. He smiled back. "Thanks."   
  
Noah led him over to a lounge and turned to face him. "The trick is, pretend there's no one else in the room. Tune it all out. You can pretend I'm not here either, if it helps."   
  
"Don't think that will happen," Luke said before he could stop himself. The surprised and pleased look Noah gave him in return was worth the embarrassment. As was Noah reaching out to him, cupping the side of his face, pulling him in for a quiet, gentle kiss. Just the press of lips together.   
  
Luke locked his knees to keep upright, his own hands coming up to hold Noah in place. Out of curiosity, he opened his mouth slightly, and was more than kinda happy when Noah took the cue to deepen the kiss, his tongue moving in ways that had to be illegal in some other midwestern states.   
  
They broke for air for just a moment, breathing hard. Noah looked deep into his eyes, serious. "We go as far as you want to. Whatever you want. Okay?"   
  
Luke's answer was to dive in for another kiss. He stopped thinking or caring then, unbuttoning Noah's shirt as his lips opened to Noah's once again. He felt Noah smile into the kiss, and did the same. They stripped slowly, sometimes on their own, sometimes helping the other. If there was movement or sound or, hell, an earthquake around them, Luke didn't know. He just wanted to let go and do this. That was the point of tonight, wasn't it?   
  
Noah was still smiling, somehow. He gripped Luke by his hips and gently manhandled him down onto the lounge, on his back, then draped himself on top with a confidence that turned Luke's bones to jelly. They were skin to skin, hands scrambling over everything, Luke feeling bold enough to grope at that ridiculously long back, hips, down to his ass. Noah moaned just a little at the feeling, and returned the favor by sliding down to Luke's cock, taking him into his mouth in one shot.   
  
"Oh, fuck!" Luke let out a groan of his own, trying to keep himself from shoving his hips up even more into that sensation. But maybe Noah knew, or understood, or something, because pretty soon he was deep-throating like a pro, until Luke could swear his cock was scraping the back of Noah's throat. God, it was almost enough to make him come right then and there.   
  
Again, as though he knew, Noah gradually backed off, until his lips just barely grazed Luke's cock, licking just over the slit before grinning up at him, one eyebrow raised. It was like a challenge, and while Luke didn't know what the challenge was or why... but he wanted to win. He yanked Noah back up by his shoulders, his tongue tracing in the same path his dick just had, wanted to taste the back of Noah's throat, all of him.   
  
He felt Noah's hand on his thigh, inching inward. Luke encouraged him further, hitching his leg up and wrapping it around Noah's slim waist, urging. Noah chuckled softly, the rumble of it echoing through Luke. And then Noah was cupping his cock lightly, just for a second, before moving past, circling then pressing inside him.   
  
Luke moaned again, garbled words and more encouragement, pushing back against him. "Come on, Noah," he grunted. "More."   
  
It was Noah's turn to shudder, but a second later two fingers sunk and twisted inside him, brushing only just slightly against his prostate in a way that  _had_  to be intentional. Ah. Noah was a tease.   
  
He tried as hard as he could to smirk, despite that whole 'my bones are jelly' thing. "That's it?"   
  
Nothing changed on Noah's face, except for his eyes. They were brighter, sharper, like he was really laughing on the inside. Then he bit down on Luke's jaw, tongue swiping across stubble, and three fingers drove into Luke with purpose, merciless against his prostate.   
  
"Fuck!" the smirk went away in an instant. He held onto Noah hard enough to leave bruises on his shoulders, he was sure. And now he wanted bruises too. "Please, God, fuck me."   
  
"Whatever you want," Noah repeated, his voice hoarse.   
  
Noah pulled Luke's other leg up so both were wrapped around him, lining himself up with where his fingers had just been driving Luke crazy. And then the head of his cock was pushing in, stretching Luke just that bit more than his fingers had, filling Luke up with a wave of pleasure. A tsunami.   
  
He opened his eyes to see Noah hovering above him, trying hard to stay still, beads of sweat dripping off his forehead and landing on Luke's chest, mixing with his own. Luke reached up to wipe Noah's brow, then let his palm rest against his chest, tapping over his heart.  _Okay._  "Fuck me," he murmured again.   
  
And Noah started moving. His hips snapped forward, his cock hitting Luke's prostate with just the right precision, leaving Luke's head buzzing. He went from gasping to grunting with each thrust, keeping an almost steady beat with the way his blood pounded in his ears.   
  
Luke was pretty sure he was about to fall apart. He reached for his cock and whimpered when his hand was batted away. Another attempt, and Noah nearly growled, taking both of Luke's hands in one of his and pinning them above Luke's head. Luke strained against them only for a second, and really only to see the muscles of Noah's arms stand out as he held Luke down.   
  
Noah shook his head. "Want me to fuck you or not?" he asked, voice so deep it shook in Luke's chest like the rumble bass notes. Luke could only nod, words like 'yes' and 'please' completely forgotten. He dug his heels into Noah's back and ass, bruising again. Happily.   
  
Noah used his free hand to lift one of Luke's leg up even higher, almost to his shoulder, pounding into him now, leaning in as much as he could at that angle so he could mouth along Luke's neck and shoulder. When he made it to Luke's mouth, Luke surged up as much as  _he_ could to meet him.   
  
They were still kissing when the pressure in him finally overcooked, and Luke shouted into Noah's mouth as he came. Noah, still holding him by his wrists, slammed into him a few more times before coming too, the sound he made almost enough to have Luke rouse himself for round 2.   
  
Almost. Instead he laid there as Noah pulled out more gently than he really expected him to, tied off and tossed away the condom (Luke didn't even remember him putting one on), and collapsed down next to him. One hand came up to the side of Luke's face, as though shielding him from something. When Luke threw him a questioning look, Noah bit his lower lip.   
  
"Usually, um, after. Guys don't like the camera seeing who they are," Noah whispered so only Luke could hear him. "It's okay if you don't want to show your face."   
  
Oh right. Camera. People. "I forgot they were here," he whispered back. He purposefully took Noah's hand away from his face, kissed it. "I'm not ashamed of what we did."   
  
That half-surprised, half-pleased look was back on Noah's face, and it made Luke buzz in a different way than the sex had. Just as pleasant, though. "Me either."   
  
...   
  
He was saying goodbye to Tony later, walking to his car in the parking lot in Old Town, when he saw Noah again, sitting alone at the bus stop, trying to warm his arms in a too thin jacket. He changed direction, waving as he approached. "Hey."   
  
"Hey," Noah's eyes went wide, and he stood quickly, shoving his hands into his pockets. Out in the real world, he looked more... stuttery, was the first word that came to mind.   
  
"So, thanks for taking care of me," he grinned. "I really... it was great."   
  
Noah shrugged, offering a smile. "For me too."   
  
Luke fidgeted with his keys, suddenly not wanting to take Noah out of his sight. "Do you need a ride somewhere?" The bus wasn't supposed to come for another twenty minutes, and it was freezing out.   
  
Noah scrunched up one side of his face. "I don't want to put you out of your way."   
  
"Are you going back to campus?" he asked. At Noah's nod, he smiled again. "My apartment's right next to it. It's not out of the way."   
  
There was a moment of hesitation, where Noah looked almost wary, before nodding again. "Okay. Thanks." They were walking back to the car, a minute or two of silence, when Noah spoke again. "I'm not normally like that."   
  
Luke frowned. "Like what?"   
  
Noah gestured back towards Java. "Like that. Any of that. I just..." he sighed a little. "It's a character, you know? To get through it, to do it the way Jeff or whoever the guy is want, I have to be someone else. Take charge, and, and all that stuff."   
  
Luke studied Noah over the top of his car as he unlocked the doors. Huh. So maybe 'hard to pin down' Noah was really just shy. Lonely. And, judging by the threadbare jacket and backpack, in need of some help. But Luke was also pretty sure that the Noah he'd been with in Java was a part of him too. Luke liked both of those sides.   
  
"I like what I see here," he found himself saying, and hoping it was enough.   
  
Noah glanced at him from the corner of his eye as they buckled in. "I, um, I don't usually enjoy it as much as I did tonight. When you came in, and I realized it was you... I've never worked up the nerve to talk to you at school or Java. I figured this was my chance."   
  
Fighting back the fluttery feeling at Noah noticing him before tonight, he smirked. "Well, I think you succeeded pretty well."   
  
"Shut up." And dear God, if Noah didn't blush at that. After fucking him in front of a film crew, a little  _teasing_  made him blush? Luke really liked this side of him.   
  
A thought struck him. "My apartment is right next to campus."   
  
Noah frowned, confused. "You said that."   
  
"Come home with me." Maybe Noah's shy turnaround made him more bold, maybe it was just that he knew what he wanted. Either way, the decision was suddenly perfectly clear and right to him.   
  
"R-right now?" Noah stuttered adorably.   
  
"Yes." He even forwent a sarcastic reply. He knew what he wanted.   
  
And maybe Noah did too. "Okay."   
  
Luke smiled, foot on the gas. He wondered if his camera still worked...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt: _Luke/Noah. Where Java is a coffeeshop that makes adult films in its basement._


	7. Bursts

It takes him a few minutes, but he finally finds Noah in the bathroom, sitting curled in against the tub, hands clenched into fists in front of him. Looking for all the world like he wants to slam those hands over his ears.   
  
"Hey," Luke says quietly, kneeling down between his legs. "Noah?" He reaches out, putting his palms on either side of Noah's face, subtly trying to shield his ears for him.   
  
"I'm fine." It comes out as a mumble, tired and a little ashamed and still slightly panicked.   
  
"Oh yeah, obviously," he says it gently but starkly, not even going to pretend to be fooled. "What's wr-"   
  
"I don't think I like fireworks, Luke."   
  
And the bottom drops out of his stomach a little bit. Oh. Shit. "God, I'm so sorry, Noah, I didn't even think about..." About how horrible Fourth of July might be for someone who had nearly been killed (he had stopped breathing, they couldn't find a pulse, Luke will never forget that) by fireworks.   
  
Noah opens his eyes then, the blue freakishly bright in the dim light. "It's okay, I didn't either." He shrugs. "They started going off, and the flash, and the sound, and I..." he hesitates. "I remember the flash and the sound." Luke inches closer, running fingers through his hair a little. Noah looks up at him. "Can I- can we just stay in here till they're done?"   
  
He smiles his 'yes,' glancing around the bathroom. Only a small window in one corner, the flashing of the fireworks bursts barely seen. But the sounds, those sharp thumping sounds of explosions, can still be heard. He can sense Noah fighting a flinch at each one. A plan quickly forming, Luke stands up, holding his hand out for Noah.   
  
"Come here," he tugs Noah to his feet, leading him over to the shower, away from the window. He turns on the water, hot and loud, until the sound and the steam drown out everything but them. Then he turns back to Noah. "Clothes," he orders, making his voice only a little sterner.   
  
Noah's eyes flicker back and forth between him and the fogged-up window, and then he smiles a little. "You too."   
  
They step forward to meet each other, reaching for each other's clothes. Luke unbuttons Noah's shirt, shoving it off his shoulders, only pausing to lift his arms so Noah can remove his. They attack buckles, zippers, kicking clothes away until they're bare, naked and hungry. Luke doesn't even have to order him, Noah leans in and grabs the back of his neck, pulls him in for a kiss that clashes their lips and teeth together.   
  
Luke keeps an arm draped low around Noah's waist, holding him close and walking them back into the shower, stumbling over the ledge a little. They crash against the tiles, under the spray that burns on first contact. Luckily, Noah is there, licking away the sting at his shoulder, his neck, the curve of his jaw that leads to the curve of his mouth. Luke is waiting for it, taking Noah's bottom lip in his, tasting, not quite biting.   
  
His hands drift downward, to his hips, anchoring. Then he slowly, hopefully too slow for Noah to notice, turns them so Noah's back is pressed against the tile wall. Noah's doing that content, soft moan into his mouth, their kisses flying fast and sweet between them, hands still in Luke's now-soaked hair. (It's going to spike weird when it dries, but Luke's pretty sure he has some product for that. Later.)   
  
Luke pulls back from the kiss, giving them both a chance to try that breathing thing. He leans up a little on his toes, the side of his face against the side of Noah's, and whispers just enough to be heard over the water, "You're okay." Noah shudders, from the words or the sensation, Luke doesn't know. He takes Noah's cock into his hand, stroking slowly. "You're okay, you're safe," he keeps up the words.   
  
"Luke," his name comes out almost as a whimper, cracked.   
  
"I'm here, right here," he quickens his pace, a little rougher, a twist at the end, grip firming. He feels himself getting harder, watching Noah start to unravel in front of him. Because of him.   
  
Noah lets out a deep moan, eyes squeezing shut. One hand woven still through Luke's hair, he grabs for Luke with the other, until their hands, next to each other, move in tandem. Almost fitting together. Noah's hand fit  _him_  perfect.   
  
"Fuck, Noah," he isn't even sure if Noah can hear him, he can barely hear himself. Between the shower and the roar building in the back of his brain, Luke's almost gone. And then Noah's teeth are on his neck, grazing that tendon, sharp, and the roar breaks through.   
  
With a shout, Luke is coming, his head dropping onto Noah's chest. He has just enough brain power left to bring Noah over the edge with him, and the two of them collapse together against the wall. Holding each other up. Luke likes the symbolism there. He fumbles for the faucet and turns off the now cooling water, then wraps both arms around his very wet, gasping boyfriend.   
  
"I love you," he hears Noah murmur, his long arms coming up to return the embrace. "Thank you, baby."   
  
"Love you too," he grins into Noah's shoulder, his nose tickling at drops of water running down. "Now how about we see how loud we need to be in the bedroom?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt: _Luke distracts Noah from fireworks._


	8. Dinner Date

There was late, and then there was Luke-late. Noah liked to tease that Luke ran on airport time; he was always delayed somehow. Tonight was supposed to be just an hour late getting home, but it accidentally turned into two, then three. Then it was 11:30, and he was finally slipping in the front door of their apartment.   
  
The light was on in the living room, so he headed in that direction, shrugging off his jacket. "Baby, I am so sorry, I-"   
  
He stopped short in the doorway. Two candles, just barely flickering, were on the coffee table, next to two plates of cold spaghetti, one half-eaten, (the other with no sauce, because Noah knew he hated tomato sauce) with their nice plates and silverware. Garlic bread too. Shit.   
  
And there was Noah, on the couch, stretched out so his bare feet were dangling over the side, clothes wrinkled and rumpled. Fast asleep. Luke smiled and entered the room quietly, coming to a stop next to the couch. Just watching. Their lives in Los Angeles had been so hectic the last few months, with Noah getting yet another grant for a film and Luke setting up his foundation's office on the west coast. Their time to just  _be_ , and be together, had been scarce.   
  
It kinda sucked.   
  
Luke moved forward, kneeling on the floor next to the couch. "Hey," he whispered, bringing his hand up to Noah's face, rubbing his thumb against his cheek. "Noah, wake up."   
  
Noah let out a deep breath, his face twitched for a second, and then his eyes slowly opened, blinking a few times. "Hey," his voice was almost too deep to hear. "You just got home?"   
  
"Yeah, sorry," he smiled, rising up enough to kiss Noah's forehead. "You made dinner." It wasn't really a question. He sat back down on the floor, perching his chin on the couch cushion as Noah turned on his side to face him.   
  
"Yeah," Noah reached out, running his fingers along the collar of Luke's shirt. "You've been eating leftovers and takeout all week. It's not healthy."   
  
He laughed softly, wanting to keep this all quiet for some reason. "I'm sorry I missed it."   
  
"It's okay," he smiled, still fuzzy and bleary-eyed. "We'll try again tomorrow."   
  
Luke stared for a moment, taking it all in- Noah with his bare feet, frayed jeans, and Oakdale High School tshirt (which he must've stolen from Luke or Casey), a neat pile of scripts and budget papers on the floor. He stared, with what he would bet was a stupid smile on his face. "I love you."   
  
Noah's smile back was definitely just as ridiculous. "Love you too."   
  
He got up again, climbing onto the couch, on top of Noah. Folding his hands across Noah's chest, he rested his chin on them, looking up. "I promise. Tomorrow night. Dinner, real food. You and me."   
  
Noah brought his arms up and around Luke, slowly running one hand up his spine to the back of his neck, rubbing gently. "Deal."   
  
Their kisses were slow and sweet, like savoring ice cream. Luke moved forward to align their mouths and their hips just right, drawing a soft noise of approval from Noah, and sank down even more, letting Noah's arms support his weight. He smiled when he felt Noah's hands grab at his hips, hold him steady, thumbs sliding just past the top of his pants. And maybe he wanted to return the favor.   
  
His favorite thing to do was get Noah's shirt off slowly and discreetly. So Noah- always so uber-focused and distracted by kisses- wouldn't even realize it until Luke was touching bare skin and he'd give that little jump that always melted into a happy sigh. Every. Time. It was totally his favorite thing. He pushed up on that OHS tshirt inch by inch, using a knee to semi-nudge Noah's legs farther apart and settle between them, Noah unconsciously obeying. Luke smiled into the kiss, getting that shirt out of the way, stopping just before it would do something bad like smother his boyfriend. He started to attack jeans next, unbuckling the belt (which Luke delighted in teasing Noah about, that he always had to wear a belt to keep pants on over his non-existent ass), unbuttoning, unzipping.   
  
Noah was busy too, Luke's pants already shoved down past his hips, shirt unbuttoned and falling to the floor. He wanted to laugh, and then did when Noah gave him the most impatient look he'd ever seen Noah make- Snyderesque, even- and pull his own shirt off and toss it away. "A little eager, aren't we?" Luke teased, mouthing down the column of Noah's neck to his chest.   
  
"I don't know, are we?" Noah half-grunted the words, palming at Luke's already hard cock through his boxers for emphasis. Luke's probably-awesome comeback was drowned out by a moan instead, and he leaned back in for another kiss, tugging at Noah's jeans and boxerbriefs in one go. Another of Luke's favorite things was that first contact of bare skin to bare skin, full-bodied, how everything burned and cut through all his layers and drowned out the world.   
  
He gave one more playful bite to Noah's collar bone, enjoying the little hiss Noah let escape. "Do we have...?"   
  
Noah nodded, fumbling underneath the couch cushion by their hips. "Here, here, here," he mumbled it a few times, shoving the small bottle of lube into Luke's hand, spreading his legs wider, and very nearly throwing Luke into an early orgasm.   
  
"Fuck," he mumbled, pouring a liberal amount on his fingers, stroking himself for a moment, loving how Noah's eyes cleared to focus just on that, then leaning in again, taking hold of Noah's upper thigh and lifting just a little, settling it around his hip. Maybe that was another favorite thing? Those ridiculously long legs wrapped around him? It could be. No more teasing, he pushed one, then two fingers inside Noah, twisting, scissoring, driving in. Noah panted beautifully, took him in beautifully, shifted his hips a little for a better angle. Luke obliged, adding a third finger, swirling his tongue across Noah's chest in nonsensical patterns, loving the way Noah's chest shuddered under the sensation of it all.   
  
"Luke, please, please," they were whispers, his words. "God, please just..." He grabbed at the arm of the couch behind his head, trying to find an anchor. "I need...  _fuck_  Luke, come on."   
  
He tried to smirk- times like this were really the only time Noah was more out of control than he was, and fucking loved that- but it wasn't like he was faring any different. He withdrew his fingers and lined up his cock in the same motion, pushing into Noah with a moan that was immediately echoed. Just enough time to catch his breath, and then Luke was moving, pulling out halfway and slamming back in, a brutal- but not bruising- pace. Their hips and their gasps for air came in tandem. Luke needed some anchor of his own, and grabbed both of Noah's hands, holding them down to the couch, caging him in.   
  
Noah's eyes had rolled back, half-closed, his lips parted to get in air as he could. Words, jumbled and muted, fell from his lips in time with Luke's thrusts, getting just loud enough for Luke to make out "fuck" and "Luke" thrown together desperately.   
  
Not letting go of Noah's hands, not touching Noah's cock where it lay against Noah's stomach, Luke leaned in, leaving sloppy kisses along his chest. "Noah." Legs wrapped around his waist tighter, pulling him in even more, wrenching a whimper out of Luke at how deep he could go. "Fuck."   
  
"Please, please, please," Noah was chanting, eye closed now, head craning back, his neck displayed in almost glorious view.   
  
Luke leaned up as much as he could, both of them moaning at the change in position. Squeezing Noah's hands, he bit down hard but not too hard on the tendon of Noah's neck. "Love you."   
  
And that was what he needed, apparently. Noah came with a shout louder than Luke was used to hearing from him, arching up into Luke's body, clenching down on him and drawing out Luke's release right after. Luke's shout was probably just as loud, and he collapsed down onto Noah's chest, unrepentant of the sudden weight on him. He smiled through the haze as Noah's arms wrapped around him tight like his legs had been, and he kissed the skin he was resting on, both of them breathing heavily for a few minutes.   
  
He pulled out gently, then immediately went back to Noah, his arms and his smile, his eyes with that fuzzy warmth they'd had when Luke woke him up earlier. "Hey."   
  
Noah chuckled lazily, stretching with a groan, gathering Luke up against him like a teddy bear. "Hey."   
  
"So for dinner tomorrow..." Luke walked his fingers up Noah's torso, stopping at his chest to trace his heart. "I think maybe we should just have this."   
  
He felt lips brush a kiss into his hair. "It's a date."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt: _bottom!Noah_


End file.
